WAIMATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 7

WAIMATE

FARMERS’ UNION WAGES OF HARVESTERS DISCUSSED An upward impetus to the wages of harvesters and millers throughout the district was imparted by a reported discussion by the Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union, according to statements made at a meeting of the committee yesterday. “We should have taken the discussion in committee,” said the chairman (Mr G. Cleland): “We have got into hot water all over the country.” Mr C. G. Preece said that when he saw the report in the newspaper he took exception to the principle. Millers were receiving 1/11*. Next year they might say, “the harvesters are getting 2/—we’U try for 3d or 6d extra," and farmers could not refuse them. Mr A. W. Robinson said he was present at the meeting, but there was no definite price fixed. Farmers had themselves to blame for giving 2/- to harvesters. Some did it and the others had to follow suit. Threshing millers were getting 1/115. When they saw the report, however, farmers could not get them at that price and had to pay 2/-. The secretary read the resolution passed at the previous meeting, pointing out that there was no figure mentioned. Mr P. McNeill: There has been a mistake. The chairman: Yes, we can see that now.

A voice: Perhaps the mistake was made by the newspapers. The chairman: No. The figure of 2/- was mentioned, and I think I said we would not be able to get labour under that figure.

Mr McNeill said the principle was wrong. They were going above the mill rate. Millers were picked men and worth more. The chairman said that the matter had been originally introduced because farmers were bidding against each other and forcing the wages up. Where a farmer had, say, two days to go to finish the harvest he could afford to pay 3d an hour extra. But other farmers were being affected. Later in the discussion Mr Cleland said that mill men were always paid more than harvesters because of the dusty work, but they had always held that it was not fair to harvesters. The mill hand knocked off and was in his bed when the harvesters went home. Mr McNeill: It will certainly put up prices next year, paying 2/PLACING MEN IN WORK SCHEME FOR FARMS An explanation of the methods adopted in allocating unemployed men to farm work, together with details of a projected Government scheme of subsidising the wages of youths up to the age of 21 during a period of training, were placed before the committee of the Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union at its meeting yesterday by Mr P. L. Brown, Placement Officer for Oamaru and Waimate. Mr Brown appealed for the co-operation of farmers to make the placement schemes work as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The labour problem was more acute with farmers than with any other type of work, said Mr Brown, and his experience in Oamaru was that it was particularly difficult to secure ploughmen. The speaker displayed a form which applicants for work were required to fill in, setting out capabilities, experience and the farmers previously worked for. Forms were also sent to the farmers mentioned in order to verify the details given by the applicant. In this manner a reliable estimate could be made of an applicant’s capabilities and confident recommendations could be made to farmers seeking labour. Mr Brown said it was proposed that farmers should employ youths from 18 to 21, teaching them to milk and do odd jobs and undertake to keep them in employment for four months. From the eighth to the ninth week the Government would subsidise the wages as follows: Age 18-19, wage £l/7/6, subsidy 10/-; age 19-20, wage £l/12/6, subsidy 12/6; age 20-21, wage £l/17/6, subsidy 15/-. The speaker said he would like the scheme to have gone further and included men, say, up to 30 years. Mr Brown solicited the co-operation of farmers. If the Union had any recommendation to make he would be pleased to refer it to the Department. If any fit man refused work, it should be reported, for “no work-no relief” was a definite principle. “I have power,” he said, “to put men off who won't accept private work.” Seven had been put off at Oamaru and this had had a “jolly good effect on the others.” Commenting on the scheme for the employment of youths, Mr A. W. Robinson said that it would be no good if a youth could clear out after the four months when the farmer had gone to

the expense of training him. The chairman (Mr G. Cleland): You have some hold on them? Mr Brown replied that there would be some control. The men would certainly not secure Public Works jobs, he added. After discussion, in which it was asserted that ploughmen would not be permitted to take a position on Public Works, Mr J. T. Hay said that the effect would be to discourage men from taking up ploughing. After Mr Brown had withdrawn, the meeting considered it premature to pass a motion concerning the youth employment scheme. PRICE FOR WHEAT CRITICISM BY UNION Strong criticism of the price payable for wheat was expressed at a meeting of the Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union yesterday, when it was pointed out that it was illogical to take the cost of growing wheat on fiat country as a basis to fix the price of wheat grown on downlands, such as ir the Waimate district.

In introducing the discussion, the chairman (Mr G. Cleland) said that it had been urged in some quarters that it was foolish for the farmer to fight for a higher price for wheat as a higher price would prejudice mortgage adjustment. This was a mistaken impression as the price of wheat for mortgage readjustment was taken on the average value over the last 10 years, which was 5/1 on trucks. Mr Cleland went on to say that as the findings of the Wheat Commission ha-1 not been made public, farmers had no knowledge of the factors considered in fixing the price. Mr G. Barclay: Is it cheaper to grow wheat at Ashburton than here?

Mr Cleland: “Naturally on the plains." It was not fair, he continued, to take flat country in comparison with their own land, which was hilly and heavy and infested with thistle. A rise in wages put costs up more on this type of land than on flat land. Mr Barclay expressed the opinion that, if wool and lamb fell next year, there would be plenty of wheat grown at 5/S. Mr McNeill said the price might yield a return on a strip of land along the coast, but not on their own land. Mr Barclay: We are agreed on that. Mr McNeill continued that Waihao Downs was once the worst wheat growing land in the country. Now that costs had risen it was practically useless. If costs were to rise the grower must be recompensed. “We can’t grow at 5/- here.” TENNIS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP The B grade championships of the Waimate Tennis Club are making good progress, and one title has been decided. Miss N. Price, winner of the Sub-Association women’s title, was successful in annexing the women’s B grade club championships. Results: Men’s singles: (First round): R. Lane beat R. Ford 6-5, 6-2. R. Cochrane beat N. Bryant 6-0, 6-1. W. Westphal beat H. Dash 6-1, 6-4. R. Murchison beat W. Moss 6-1, 6-4. S. Wasley beat W. George 6-4, 6-5. L. Ball beat J. Bowron by default. D. Watson beat R. Nolan by default. R. Taylor beat D. Samways by default. Second round: R. Murchison beat W. Westphal 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Women’s Singles: (First round): Miss D. Grylls beat Miss M. Paul 6-2, 6-1. Miss J. Buckingham beat Miss M. Hollamby 6-3, 6-4. Miss N. Price beat Miss E. Laurenson 6-2, 6-5. Mrs D. Taylor beat Mrs R. Vucetich 6-2, 6-3. Second round: Miss Grylls beat Miss Buckingham 6-2, 6-2, Miss Price beat Mrs Taylor 6-2, 6-3. Final: Miss Price beat Miss Grylls 6-3, 6-5. Men’s doubles: First round: Bryant and Lane beat Dash and Moss 5-6, 6-1, 6-4. Westphal and Wasley beat Murchison and Jones 6-5, 6-5. Taylor and Liddell beat Nolan and Griffen by default. Semi-final: Westphal and Wasley beat Taylor and Liddell 6-5, 6-5. Mixed doubles: First round: Westphal and Mrs Taylor beat Ball and Mrs Vucetich 6-2, 6-3. McNeill and Miss Kirkpatrick beat Moss and Mrs Moss by default. Taylor and Miss Laurenson beat Bryant and Miss P. Paul, 6-1, 6-2. Second round: Dash and Miss Grylls beat Murchison and Miss Buckingham 3-6, 6-3, 8-6. Wasley and Miss Hollamby won by default St. Patrick’s Club The men's singles title of the St. Patrick’s Tennis Club has been decided, the winner being P. Hannifin. Results: First round: P. Haynes beat M. Leonard 6-0, 6-0; J. Frost beat A. Matheson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; E. Murphy beat M. McNabb 6-0, 6-1; T. Hannifin beat J. Breen 5-6, 6-2, 6-0. Second round: M. Leonard beat G. Dent 6-2, 6-5; P. Hynes beat J. Frost 6-1, 6-2; E. Murphy beat T. Hannifin 5-6, 6-2, 6-3; P. Hannifin beat D. O'Connell by default. Semi-finals: P. Hynes beat M. Leonard 6-1, 6-2; P. Hannifin beat E.

Murphy 6-1, 6-2. Final: P. Hannifin beat P. Hynes 6-0, 6-1. St. Paul’s Club Full entries were received for the handicap tournament conducted by the St. Paul's Club, and many close games were witnessed. The winner of the men’s section was S. Ford, and of the women’s, Mrs R. Ford. Results:— Men’s handicap: First round: G. Bennett (scr.) beat S. Batchelor (-15) 50-47. Hetrick (10) beat J. Warren ((10) 50-27. S. Ford (scr.) beat D. Tooley (20) 50-40. G. Hewson (10) beat S. White (scr) 50-30. D. Bringans (5) beat E. Earnshaw (-5) 50-44. O. Veitch (-15) beat R. Allington (5) 50-38. R. Hewson (5) beat Kellett (15), 51-49. Second round: J. Hetrick beat G. Bennett 50-37. S. Ford beat G. Hewson 50-30. D. Bringans beat O. Veitch 51-49. J. Currie beat R. Hewson 54-42. Semi-final: S. Ford beat J. Hetrick, 50-37. D. Bringans beat J. Currie 50-36. Final: S. Ford beat D. Bringans 50-48.

Women: Miss Veitch (20 beat Mrs Gordon (-22) by default. Mrs Batchelor (-3) beat Miss G. Preece (scr) 50-29. Mrs Earnshaw (-3) beat Miss E. Dunlop (7) 50-33. Mrs Ford (-15) beat Miss W. Anning (-12), 50-49. Miss Richards (-10) beat Miss B. Gordon (15) by default. Miss Y. Hollamby (-16) beat Miss E. Sherwin (15), 50-36. Miss J. Deans (10) beat Mrs White (-3) by default. Second round: Mrs Batchelor beat Miss Veitch 50-47. Mrs Ford beat Mrs Earnshaw by default. Miss G. Richards beat Miss Hollamby 50-47. Miss Deans beat Mrs Kellett (scr) 50-46. Semi-finals: Mrs Ford beat Mrs Batchelor 50-44. Miss Richards beat Miss J. Deans 50-35. Final: Mrs Ford beat Miss Richards 50-44. PERSONAL Mr and Mrs J. W. Halliday have returned after a motor trip in North Canterbury. Mr H. C. Johnston has taken over control of the Royal Hotel. Superintendent R. Price, of the Dunedin Fire Brigade Station, and Mrs Price are the guests of Mr and Mrs D. A" Murray, Shearman Street. Mr W. Ormandy, of Oamaru, who has been appointed to the staff of the Waimate Post Office, took up his new duties yesterday. Mr S. Ford, who has been promoted to the staff of the Chief Post Office in Wellington, will leave Waimate on Monday. Mr and Mrs P. W. H. Forrester are the guests of Mr and Mrs W. P. Wilson, Manes Street.